Signature · 1 LILA tracts (33.3% of tracts)
Lawrence County, MS
Lawrence County's signature pressure is desert tracts: 1 LILA tracts (33.3% of the book) alongside 20.4% low-access.
- 20.4%
- low-access pop.
- 1
- food-desert tracts
- 18.8%
- on SNAP
- 12K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Lawrence County, MS
LA-ELEVATED · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-SINGLE · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-OK · DENSITY-DENSE
- LA-ELEVATED 20.4% low-access
- BELOW-NATIONAL -1.7 pts vs US
- LILA-SINGLE 1 food-desert tract
- SNAP-HEAVY 18.8% SNAP
- VEH-OK 4.6% no vehicle
- DENSITY-DENSE 33% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Clay County (+ 0.0 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Lawrence County ranks #1,654 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #41 of 80 counties in MS (20.4% low-access; 1 food-desert tracts).
- #1,654
- national by low-access %
- #41
- in MS
- 2
- low-access tracts
- 1K
- food-desert residents
Low access = living more than 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural) from the nearest supermarket. Food deserts add a low-income condition (USDA LILA).
Signature read: 1 LILA tracts (33.3% of tracts) .
How Lawrence County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Lawrence County's 20.4% low-access share is elevated, higher than 47% of them and ranked #1,654 most-affected nationwide.
Lawrence County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
3 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 1 LILA.
All 3 of Lawrence County's tracts are rural in the USDA classification, so every one is judged on the 10-mile test: a resident counts as low-access only when the nearest supermarket is more than 10 miles away.
Lawrence County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in Mississippi, not a full county-board reprint
- Quitman
Quitman 90.1%
90.1 % low-access
- Panola 21.3
Panola 21.3%
21.3 % low-access
- Lawrence 20.4
Lawrence 20.4%
20.4 % low-access
- Clay 20.4
Clay 20.4%
20.4 % low-access
- Leake 20.4
Leake 20.4%
20.4 % low-access
- Lee 19.9
Lee 19.9%
19.9 % low-access
- Covington 0
Covington 0%
0 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 3 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 12,929 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 2 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 1 |
| Low-Access Population | 2,637 |
| Low-Access Share | 20.4%near the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 1,061 |
ACS 2024 · elevated SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 11,786 |
| Median Household Income | $43,531 |
| Poverty Rate | 23.7%well above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 830 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 18.8%well above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 4.6%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 0.4% |
SNAP retailers in Lawrence County
Lawrence County has 15 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 3 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 7 locations (47% of the total), followed by convenience store.
Where the store book sits, by town
5 towns share the 15 authorized stores; Monticello holds 53% of them. 3 of the 5 towns have no grocery-grade outlet, only convenience or dollar/combination stores: Jayess, Silver Creek, Sontag.
| Town | SNAP stores | Grocery-grade |
|---|---|---|
| Monticello | 8 | 1 |
| Jayess | 2 | none |
| Newhebron | 2 | 1 |
| Silver Creek | 2 | none |
| Sontag | 1 | none |
Combination Grocery/Other · 7
- dollar general 19483, monticello
- dollar general 3173, monticello
- dollar general 9599, newhebron
- dollar general 23384, sontag
- dollar general 23903, jayess
- dollar general 24055, silver creek
- family dollar store 7601, monticello
Convenience Store · 6
- ad & d llc, monticello
- hva llc, monticello
- jayess general store, jayess
- lucky group llc, silver creek
- market max monticello, monticello
- sunnys discount, monticello
Supermarket · 2
- ramey's 10, monticello
- sullivan's grocery 1, newhebron
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Mississippi
One of 81 counties in Mississippi, 6 are shown here.
Compare Lawrence County vs Adams County → · All Mississippi counties →
Nationwide peers for Lawrence County's low-access or SNAP share
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Lawrence County, both outside Mississippi so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside MS (20.4% here).
- Howell County, MO · 20.4% low-access
- Washington County, NE · 20.4% low-access
- Hunterdon County, NJ · 20.4% low-access
- Alexander County, NC · 20.4% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside MS (18.8% here).
- Genesee County, MI · 18.8% SNAP
- Washington County, ME · 18.8% SNAP
- Rio Arriba County, NM · 18.8% SNAP
- Peach County, GA · 18.8% SNAP
Source: USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) + Census ACS 2024 SNAP. Peers floor at 10,000 residents so stub counties cannot own the match.
Mississippi among East South Central states
Mississippi ranks 2nd of 4 East South Central states by population-weighted low-access (26.4%). Lawrence County, at 20.4%, runs 6.0 pts below the Mississippi rate.
- Tennessee 27.2%
- Mississippi 26.4%
- Alabama 24.5%
- Kentucky 19.8%
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted by state; divisions per the U.S. Census Bureau. National state map
Read with this county
Sources: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019) · U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2024 5-Year Estimates · methodology · compiled .
PlainFoodAccess renders this county profile directly from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (2024 5-year estimates), no number is typed in by an editor. Figures for Lawrence County, MS are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 28077. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-06-23. Primary sources: USDA Food Access Research Atlas and Census ACS 5-year estimates.
Note: This page presents public USDA and Census data for informational purposes and is not professional advice. Figures reflect the cited dataset vintages and may differ from the most recent local conditions. How this data is sourced & verified.